New UFC flyweight Manel Kape trashes Cody Garbrandt: “How are you going to save the division?”

Newly-signed UFC flyweight Manel Kape went on the offensive against Cody Garbrandt, suggesting the former bantamweight champ can’t save flyweight.

Kape, the former RIZIN bantamweight champion, is the latest signing in the UFC flyweight division. A former champion in RIZIN, Kape is coming off of a title fight win over Kai Asakura. The UFC matchmakers liked what they saw from him in the RIZIN ring and decided to sign him to a free-agent contract. He immediately becomes one of the top contenders for the currently-vacant UFC flyweight championship.

Getting back to Garbrandt, the former UFC bantamweight champion recently announced he was making the move down to flyweight later this year, suggesting he could save the division. Kape heard those comments from Garbrandt and he doesn’t agree with them. Speaking to AsianMMA.com, Kape trashed Garbrandt for suggesting he would save 125lbs.

“He says he wants to come to the flyweight division, that he will save the division,” Kape said.

“I feel like ‘what the f**k?’ If you can’t even save your belt, how are you gonna save a division?”

Kape said that if he does get the Garbrandt fight, he won’t be intimidated by fighting a big-name opponent.

“It’s the same feeling as when I fought with Kyoji Horiguchi, when I fought with Kai Asakura, when I fought with Takeya Mizugaki in RIZIN,” Kape said.

“A fight is a fight. My feelings are the same. It doesn’t matter who you are, the feeling’s the same. I want to hunt and I want to win.”

Kape is 15-4 and from Portugal. He is just 26 years old and has a bright future ahead of him in the Octagon. With just a few wins in the Octagon, Kape could immediately jump into title contention in a shallow division.

Would you like to see Manel Kape fight Cody Garbrandt?